


Blood Ties

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Banter, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Darkpilot Adjacent, Ficlet Collection, Fluff and Humor, Grief/Mourning, Masks, Multi, Past Character Death, Planet Destruction, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Young Ben Solo, Young Poe Dameron, in chapter two
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25032760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ben/Kylo and Poe’s families, and perspectives on them.
Relationships: Ben Solo & Han Solo, Enfys Nest & Ben Solo, Lando Calrissian & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Lando Calrissian & Han Solo, Poe Dameron & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren & C-3PO, Poe Dameron & Leia Organa, Shara Bey & Poe Dameron
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5
Collections: The Darkpilot Library





	1. Remembering Alderaan

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“Is Mrs. Organa okay?” Poe said. He remembered, even as he sat in that sunny kitchen with his parents and a box of crayons and flimsiplast, that Mrs. Organa had seemed sad. Grieving, Papa had said. He’d explained grief to Poe, and Poe had been scared by it: who would want to relive someone or something ceasing to exist over and over again. 

Shara nodded. “She lost her family and entire homeplanet when she was nineteen.”

”Oh.” Poe frowned. Then an idea struck him. “Could we get them back?”

”It’s doubtful,” Shara said. “The Death Star...it was one of many terrible things the Empire did, destroying Alderaan. With Jedha, parts of the planet remain, but Alderaan was...blown up.”

”How?” Poe said. He couldn’t picture a whole planet just exploding. 

Shara continued. “The Death Star’s technicians were...skilled. There’s been stories that the gunner effectively tried to stall the Death Star from destroying Yavin out of guilt for what he’d done.”

”Why did he destroy Alderaan?” Poe said. “Alderaan didn’t do anything wrong.”

”It’s a technique of tyrants. Destroy innocents to make an example of them. And Mrs. Organa had to watch. No doubt to punish her.” Shara swallowed; it was clear for Poe that his mother was hurting thanks to what had been done to her friend. “That’s what Mrs. Organa’s doing — she’s making sure the memory of Alderaan stays alive even though the planet is gone.”

”Oh.” Then, “I’m glad Master Skywalker blew up the Death Star.”

”It was necessary,” Shara said. “There were...listen, Poe, not everyone on the Death Star was a monster. I will say they worked for monsters, or were held prisoner by monsters, but there is a difference. In war, even good people can do bad things. That’s why it’s so terrible.” A beat. “But we do what we do for the sake of all life. All life is sacred, Poe, even that of your enemies.”

”I know that!” Poe chirped. 

Shara smiled. “I have faith that you and Ben will both be the saviors of the galaxy. I truly do.”

***

It was talking with Leia that Leia talked as Poe sketched out Alderaan (at least his impressions from what Leia told him) with crayons. A blue-green world with great mountains and beautiful palaces, with a king and queen who loved their adopted daughter. Poe didn’t get why blood mattered anyway; after all, family was family, right? 

”My father,” Leia said, “Well, the man who raised me, the man I truly consider to be my father...he was a good man. Kind. Funny. Brave. I wish I’d been able to tell him more, about how much he meant to me."

”I think he knew!” Poe chirped. “Mama says that family just knows these things.”

Leia smiled, though she looked like she was about to cry. Poe hoped she didn’t; he wanted his friends to be happy. 

”Now that I think about it, I think he knew.” Then, “Poe, your picture...”

”You like it?”

”It’s beautiful!” Leia said. “The mountains, the palace...it’s perfect, Poe. You have a gift...”

Poe beamed. Maybe baby Ben could have the picture too. It was him, him as much as anything. Poe hoped he could look after Ben, as much as he could. 


	2. Family Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Poe see hyperspace for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“And here she is!” Han Solo beamed at the two children following in his wake. “The Millennium Falcon, my pride and joy...”

Uncle Lando rolled his eyes. “Technically, she was my pride and joy before you stole her?”

”Well, I should have gotten the ship if you weren’t a dirty cheater...” Han said to Lando. 

But it wasn’t a scary argument. No real hurt feelings were being flung around. Ben giggled even as he turned to Poe. 

Leia sighed good-naturedly. “You two. I swear you take your ships too seriously...”

”Well, technically I needed that ship to do a job — ” Han said to Lando. 

Lando cut in. “ — not my fault you’re a sore loser when it comes to sabaac — ”

”He’s not a sore loser with me!” Ben piped up. 

Han grinned. “Nice to know someone will defend me...”

"Well, to be fair,” Lando said, “Your daddy thinks you can do no wrong. Not that I disagree...”

He ruffled Ben’s hair. Ben giggled. 

”So, where are we going?” Poe chirped. 

"Naboo. Figured for our first trip in the Falcon we’d do something fun.” Han said.

Leia smiled. “And Pooja and Ryoo will be so glad to see you, Ben. And you, Poe.”

”Will they like me?” Poe sounded a bit worried. He shouldn’t be worried. 

Ben smiled at Poe. "They will! Nobody better not like you or I’ll fight them off.”

The grown-ups laughed. It was true, though. Ben knew that Ryoo and Pooja better like Poe. Poe was cool. Ben wanted to tell everyone else that too. How wonderful the older child was. 

***

The first time Ben saw hyperspace, it was like everything became thin blue lines, then a swirling blue vortex. He and Poe ran up to the cockpit, gaping in awe. “Is that...”

”It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Han said. “That’s the wonderful thing about space travel. You go places that you wouldn’t go otherwise."

”I wanna be a pilot like you!” Ben said to Han. “And like Poe wants to be.”

Han grinned, that special, broad grin that suggested that he thought Ben was the rarest thing in the galaxy. "You’ll be wonderful, little bandit. I just know it.”


	3. The Meaning of a Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enfys explains some of her origins to Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Yes, I count people like Enfys as part of Ben’s family.

“Hello, Ben.” Enfys turned to look at Ben. “What do you need?”

Enfys...Ben didn’t know how to feel about her. She was brave and strong, and kind, but also sad a lot. Ben knew it had something to do with her mommy being dead and her village gone. Which didn’t make sense. It wasn’t like her mommy or her village did anything wrong.

Ben gestured towards the old Cloud Rider helmet lying on the table. “Aunt Enfys, what’s this?”

Enfys looked caught off-guard for a moment before saying, “That? That’s my mask. When I fought against Crimson Dawn and its men. Among others."

Ben frowned. He didn’t know how to feel about that. On the one hand, masks were evil. He saw how Mom was still scared of Vader — the man in the black mask who looked like something out of a nightmare. (Ben had indeed seen glimpses of Vader, in Mom’s own nightmares) 

Enfys sighed. “Vader perverted the meaning of a mask. He needed it for different reasons — he was badly injured and needed it for survival. I suppose in that realm, I can pity him.” Then, darker, “It doesn’t absolve him from supporting a fascist regime.”

”Fascist?” Ben said. 

”It’s like the opposite of what your mother does,” Enfys said. “Your mother wants to keep people safe and free. Living in security and ease. Vader wanted to enforce fear. That was why Tarkin did what he did to Alderaan.”

”He was so angry he wanted to make the planet go away,” Ben said somberly. 

Enfys nodded. “That’s...a way of putting it. It was what happened to my people. Including my mother. They were...hurt."

(Blood. Too much blood. Fire)

"So that’s why you wore the mask?” Ben said. 

Enfys nodded. "It’s like a symbol. A symbol of hope. I wanted to help people, not just avenge my mother. Your father...didn’t realize that at first, but when he did, he helped us. He was a good man even then.”

”I want to be as good as him,” Ben said. 

Enfys squeezed Ben’s shoulder, smiling broadly; Ben decided he liked it when she smiled. She was usually so serious and sad; Ben wanted his family to be happy. "Whatever path you take, you’ll have a proud auntie.”


	4. Unsung Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because Threepio gets no respect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Taken from a section of the comics where Poe basically says Threepio deserves more credit. Yet another reason Poe Dameron deserves the galaxy.

People don’t seem to like Threepio very much. Poe doesn’t know why. True, the droid is kind of twitchy and nervous, but he’s also nice, and polite, and Poe thinks more people ought to be nice to him. 

Besides, Poe doesn’t like it when others are being mean to others. It’s when Threepio’s babysitting him and Ben, Ben being four and Poe being seven, that Poe says, “Threepio?”

”Hello, Master Poe. What do you need?”

"Why do you call people ‘Master’ or ‘Mistress'? I mean, they’re your friends, not your owners.”

Ben nods. 

”Well, I suppose,” Threepio says, “It’s habit. Programming. Droids are...made to be subservient to other beings. I suppose the ‘Master’ or ‘Mistress’ title just reinforces that.”

”That’s not fair!” Poe says. 

”I suppose there’s much about our galaxy that isn’t fair, Master Poe. Oh dear, I said it again!”

”That’s okay,” Poe says. "I just think...you know, if it wasn’t for you, Mr. Solo and Master Skywalker would be eaten by Ewoks.”

”What?” Ben says. “They eat people?”

”We’re technically part of their tribe now,” Threepio says. "They won’t, Master Ben. And I doubt Master Poe would let you be eaten.”

”Yeah.” Ben seemed to relax a bit. Poe hugged him, just because.

”But yeah,” he said. “If they hadn’t thought you were a god...”

”Well, your Uncle Luke was also helpful in that regard.”

”But you saved lives!” Poe said. “And you saved Master Skywalker, Mrs. Organa and Mr. Solo when they were in the trash compactor on the Death Star. That’s something! You got the Death Star plans to Luke who got them to Obi-Wan, and...Threepio, why aren’t people calling you a war hero too?”

Silence. 

”That...is a good question,” Threepio said. “I suppose I never thought of it before. I was used to my flesh and blood companions taking the credit.”

”Uncle Chewie didn’t get a medal for helping destroy the first Death Star!” Ben added, like it didn’t really occur to him until now. 

”That is true,” Threepio said. “Mistress Leia did call that a significant oversight.”

Poe got an idea. 

It was two scribbly drawings later, Poe’s more refined than Ben’s, that Poe and Ben gave their drawings to Threepio. The medal ceremony, including Threepio and Chewie among the assembled that had medals around their necks. Poe and Ben had to use a different color for Threepio’s medal, just to keep it from blending in too much, but other than that...

”Oh!” Threepio exclaimed. “Goodness gracious me!”

”You like it?” Poe said. 

”Master Poe, Master Ben...this is one of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever received. Maker, I must get this framed...”

Poe beamed. So did Ben. Poe thought he himself could have drawn something better, but he was glad Threepio liked it. 

After all, Threepio deserved it. 


End file.
